Yes, It Was Cold

Was it chilly and snowy in April? Why… yes, it was. Data from the National Weather Service office in Negaunee shows that Houghton received 31 inches of snow last month… the third-snowiest April since record-keeping began. Our temperature was five degrees below average… making last month the 16th-coldest April on record. From December through April, our temperature averaged just 15 degrees… eight degrees below normal… making this the coldest winter ever recorded in the Copper Country.
The cold, snowy winter was good for Lake Superior. The full ice cover cut down on evaporation… and the recent heavy runoff has boosted the water level to three inches above its long-term normal for this time of year. It’s been a remarkable turnaround for the big lake… which approached historic lows just three years ago. Right now, Lake Superior is 16-inches higher than it was a year ago. Lake Michigan is eight inches higher… and Lake Huron is nine inches above last year’s level.